Tips on masturbation: 5 Reasons it’s great for your health

Tips on masturbation: 5 Reasons it’s great for your health

5 ways masturbation improves your health & sex life

While figures vary, surveys report that upwards of 80% of people masturbate, with some surveys putting the number as high as 92%! That means that ‘everybody does it’ – it’s absolutely normal.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, the even better news is that masturbation is actually good for you! Not only can it help prevent you from contracting STIs or HIV, but it can even benefit your health and your sex life. Here’s how.

• It helps reduce stress and insomnia. Masturbation is an effective stress-busting technique, and is also relieves sexual tension and helps you to sleep better.

• It can improve your sexual performance. Regular masturbation (or sex) gives your pelvic floor muscles a great workout, which can lead to better and more pleasurable sex. It can also make you harder or wetter when having sex with a partner.

• It can help you last longer. Masturbation teaches you what feels good and what doesn’t, and how your body responds to different stimuli, which are basic requirements for a satisfying sex life. It also teaches you to recognise when you’re reaching that final point of no return before you orgasm, so that you can make sex last longer, and helps you to avoid or overcome premature ejaculation.

• It can boost your immunity. Masturbation in men increases the flow of testosterone through the body, which can help to strengthen bones and muscles. Testosterone also transports a hormone called DHEA, which aids in the healthy functioning of the immune system and can help fight inflammation.

• It’s a mood booster. When you masturbate, natural feel-good chemicals called endorphins are released into the body, which can improve your mood and even help fight depression.

Stop feeling embarrassed about wanting to master masturbation, and instead get busy giving yourself some pleasure! It’ll benefit your health and give you an even better sex life with your partner. What more reason do you need?

Confidential STI and HIV testing

If you’re concerned about STIs and HIV, pop into your nearest Marie Stopes clinic for quick test to find out exactly what you need to know about your sexual health. We offer affordable HIV and STI testing and confidential counselling in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

We also offer Well Woman packages aimed especially at our female clients.

More Information

Quick Facts

Sterilisation: If you know for sure that you don't want any more children this can be good. Implants: Last for 3 years. Just remember to replace after 3 years! IUD: Many people like it cause once it's in, it works for 5 years. You can ask for one without hormones if you want. (But remember condoms to protect against infection!)

Some people think that it's OK for the man to pull out of the vagina before he comes. NO! There can be sperm in the fluid that comes out before he comes – leading to pregnancy or infection.

Get Help

If you think you may be pregnant, DO A PREGNANCY TEST AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – you can get these tests from the pharmacy or your clinic or doctor. If you have an unwanted pregnancy, the sooner you know, the better you can be helped to choose what to do.

There are lots of government clinics that give free family planning. Look in the phone book or call a local clinic to find the closest one. Marie Stopes are South African government-approved reproductive health clinics.

More Information

More on Abortion

It is legal for women of any age to have an abortion in South Africa. No parental or partner permission is needed. It is your body and your decision to end or keep the pregnancy … nobody can force you. It is very important to go to a registered, legal facility. There are many people who advertise abortion services, but many are not legal and having a ‘backstreet abortion’ could be dangerous to your health and life.

Any woman can ask for an abortion in the first three months (12 weeks) of pregnancy. If you are three to five months (13-20 weeks) pregnant, an abortion can be performed under certain circumstances. It is very important to act quickly, the earlier you seek help the better.

You can visit your doctor who will refer you to an appropriate facility and a consultation fee will be charged. You can go to a private organisation such as Marie Stopes where there will be also be a charge. Some government facilities offer abortions for free, see link below for a list of local government facilities which offer the service.

Medical abortion: Tablets to end an early pregnancy can be taken up until the 9th week of pregnancy. You will be given pills to take at the clinic and to take at home. It will cause you to bleed like a period, but it might be heavier than your normal period.

Surgical abortion: The pregnancy is removed whilst you are at the facility, typically through vacuum aspiration.

If the abortion is done by a legal provider at a legal facility, problems after the procedure are rare. A trained counsellor will discuss your options and advise you on which family planning methods are suitable for you.